Cobain once notably called the old logging town on the Washington Coast "Twin Peaks without the excitement."

But on Thursday, the city will celebrate Cobain's life on what would have been his 47th birthday with an official "Kurt Cobain Day."

The festivities will include the unveiling of a Cobain statue at the Aberdeen Museum of History and a performance by the local rock band, Gebular. Also slated to appear are Cobain's guitar teacher, Warren Mason, and Nirvana's first drummer, Aaron Burckhard.

Aberdeen declared Feb. 20 "Kurt Cobain Day" shortly after neighboring Hoquiam, where Cobain briefly lived, set its own official day honoring the grunge legend for April 10, the day Nirvana will be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and five days after the 20-year anniversary of Cobain's Seattle suicide. (Some writers have hinted that Aberdeen did not want to be outdone by Hoquiam's Kurt Cobain Day.)

Cobain was known to have struggled through a turbulent childhood in Aberdeen, having endured his parents' divorce there and dropping out of high school. He was shuffled between different homes and was known to be a rebellious kid.

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Furthermore, the "Come as you are" sign welcoming visitors to Aberdeen today, referencing one of Nirvana's most famous songs, was only added in 2005 after three local teens pointed out the lack of any local Cobain tribute to the Daily World newspaper. The sign faced possible removal last year, with city officials citing the age of the sign, but it remained after popular protest.

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But Thursday signifies Aberdeen's embrace of Cobain as its most famous, if troubled, son, for better or worse.

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Kurt Cobain Day

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20

Where: Aberdeen Museum of History, 111 E. 3rd St., Aberdeen

Admission: Free

Reads the official proclamation by Mayor Bill Simpson: "Aberdeen residents may justifiably take pride in the role our community played in the life of Kurt Cobain and the international recognition our community has gained from its connections with Kurt Cobain and his artistic achievements."